The Impact of Accidents on Children: Trauma, Treatment, and Support

When you or your children are involved in an accident and sustain injuries, you will likely seek treatment at an accident clinic. There, medical specialists will address the physical side of your injuries, offering you various treatment options when applicable and looking to restore your health. However, there is another important aspect that should not be overlooked when people are in an accident, particularly children.

That is the psychological impact of an accident on children and how it may affect their lives. As a parent, the last thing you want is for your child to have to deal with the trauma of an accident longer than necessary. Read on to find out more about this issue.

The Effect of Trauma on Children

Being involved in a serious accident can undermine a child’s sense of security and safety. They may feel overwhelmed by the array of confusing, frightening, and intense emotions that do not seem to let them enjoy life like you would before the accident by say planning a good holiday with friends or family, or even a work colleague.

Managing these strong and intrusive feelings should be a priority. The child needs to be reassured that what they are feeling is real but there are steps to take to make them feel better and learn how to get these foreign emotions under control and move forward from the traumatic event.

Main Signs of Traumatic Stress in Children

Traumatic stress is to be expected after an accident. Unfortunately, children tend to deal with these emotions by changing their behavior and the way they usually respond to outside stimuli. This may involve a loss of appetite, a decrease in sleep patterns, and mood swings that are hard to control.

Very young children may cling to their parents or caregivers more. They may whine, scream, or cry more frequently and they may regress to earlier behaviors.

Older children may lose interest in friends or activities they used to enjoy, have nightmares or find it difficult to fall asleep, react with anger, become moody and disruptive, and develop unfounded fears of things that were not scary before.

Adolescents may start abusing nicotine, drugs, or alcohol, become disruptive and aggressive, feel depressed or isolated, and lose interest in their hobbies and friends. Extreme cases may include suicidal thoughts.

Helping a Child Cope

Being aware of your response to your children’s actions after the trauma is a great place to start. Children are experts at picking up their parents’ stress and anxiety. Seek professional help if you need to get your traumatic fears under control. Also:

Encourage Your Child to Openly Talk About Their Feelings

Let your child know that nothing they say will be criticized or made fun of. Let them know that everything they are feeling is normal and make them feel reassured that you are there to listen to them. If they do not want to open up to you, a teacher or a friend can be there for them.

Allow Your Child to Grieve

Your child may be grieving for material things they lost during the accident or for the life they used to have before. Give them time to heal.

Discourage Your Child from Obsessively Reliving the Accident

Encourage them to engage in activities that distract their mind. This could be reading a book, playing games together, watching an optimistic movie, or anything that gives them pleasure.

De-stress Together

Even young children can learn techniques that involve breathing, relaxing, or exercising. These activities let them feel more in control of their feelings and help them get closer to leaving the trauma behind.

Conclusion

It’s crucial to take children to an accident clinic after trauma to ensure their immediate and long-term well-being. Prompt medical evaluation can accurately diagnose any injuries, even those not immediately apparent, and prevent complications. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for proper documentation of injuries, facilitating any necessary follow-up care or legal proceedings. Most importantly, timely medical attention can offer reassurance to both the child and their caregivers, promoting psychological healing alongside physical recovery.